With US fast food giant McDonalds facing its first ever strike at two sites in the UK, a solidarity protest was organised outside the company’s Sheffield city centre branch. Bakers Food and Allied Workers’ Union supported workers in Cambridge and Crayford are striking over pay and conditions, seeking a minimum of ten pounds an hour and an end to zero hour contracts. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Martin Mayer, secretary of Sheffield Trades Union Council.
Sheffield school leavers have been given an opportunity by construction firm, BAM, to see how the cities new retail quarter is being developed. The company, working alongside Sheffield Council, is building the first phase of Sheffield’s new retail quarter located at the top of The Moor. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to construction manager Nick Howdle.
Lib Dem group leader on Sheffield Council, Shaffaq Mohammed, confirmed cross party support in Sheffield for the just announced HS2 route via Sheffield’s central train station. The high speed route will offer twice hourly journeys from central Sheffield to London. The news has been broadly welcomed by businesses and the public but there are some that oppose the decision with houses set to be lost in the process. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!
Sheffield Council have released details of their bid to bring Channel 4 to Sheffield including visualisations of a TV production headquarters next to Sheffield Station. Sheffield is one of several cities that have thrown their hat into the ring in respond to a government consultation on moving the public service channel out of London. It is estimated a Sheffield headquarters could bring over 4,000 highly skilled jobs to the city by 2027. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!
Bag It Don’t Bin It (BIDBI), the local multi award winning company that prints cotton tote bags using ethically sourced and eco-friendly materials, is celebrating ten years of service. The company works in partnership with Fairtrade certified cotton farmers and has produced bags for some of the world’s top brands, arts organisations and charities, as well as independent businesses. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!
Sheffield Council has submitted proposals to bring Channel 4 to the city in response to a government consultation on relocation of the public service television channel. Sheffield faces stiff competition from Cardiff, Liverpool, Bradford and Birmingham, as well as Manchester where the BBC’s Media City is situated. Government is seeking views on relocation of the broadcaster’s activities to an outside London location to help drive creative jobs in the regions. Sheffield Live! reporter Simon Thake spoke to Councillor Mazher Iqbal.
Despite a dedicated team of five police officers posted in Burngreave to tackle crime and gang issues after two stabbings and a shooting, local businesses are still concerned. Yousouf Adams who owns Suda Tech on Spital Street, told Sheffield Live! that local businesses would like to see officers present in the evening as most trouble starts when the police are gone. The street violence has involved confrontation between rival gangs from the Kurdish and Somali communities. Police have been given new powers to stop and search suspects and to patrol the area to re-assure residents. Baillor Jalloh reports.
IT specialists are advising homes and businesses to review their cyber security following the malware attack that hit the NHS and other organisations at the weekend. The cyber attack, known as ransomware, left users locked out of their computers and requested a ransom payment to unlock encrypted data. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to IT consultant Joe McNulty from I.T. Just Done.
Tree planting charity, Trees for Cities, has said it is suspending all funding, support, and activity in Sheffield due to concerns with the council’s tree felling programme. The UK charity works internationally to promote greener cities and has planted more than 25,000 trees in Sheffield over the last ten years. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
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Dozens of taxi drivers joined a demonstration outside the Town Hall against rules which allow drivers licensed by other local authorities to ply their trade in Sheffield. A convoy of drivers joined the protest from Atterclife, sounding their car horns and driving slowly to raise awareness of the issue. The Deregulation Act 2015 allows cross-border licensing of private hire and hackney carriage operators enabling drivers for Uber and some local companies to by-pass Sheffield Council’s licensing arrangements. Union officials argue that deregulation is putting public safety at risk. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!